Operations Manager

Job Type

Full-time

Description

The Operations Manager – World Championship Events is responsible for the end-to-end operational planning, execution, and delivery of IRONMAN World Championship events and associated side events. This role serves as a operational leader within the World Championship team, acting as the primary link between the VP Operations, Race Directors, activation teams, vendors, partners, and volunteers to ensure world-class event delivery aligned with IRONMAN standards.

The role blends strategic operational oversight with hands-on execution, encompassing event operations, activation and logistics, budget management, staffing, venue and course planning, and cross-functional coordination. The Operations Manager ensures events are delivered safely, efficiently, on budget, and at the highest level of quality expected of World Championship events.

Requirements

  World Championship Event Operations

• Lead the operational planning and execution of all assigned World Championship events, including courses, venues, expo/village, schedules, and race week operations.
• Serve as a key operational leader onsite, ensuring seamless coordination across staff, volunteers, partners, vendors, and governing agencies.
• Collaborate closely with the VP Operations, Regional Director, Activation/Ops Manager and Race Directors to ensure alignment on strategy, timelines, and execution.
• Involved in development, review, and implementation of all critical operational plans and manuals, including Director’s Manuals, medical and safety plans, traffic and intersection plans, swim safety plans, and emergency response protocols.
• Ensure all events adhere to IRONMAN global standards, policies, systems, and procedures.

Planning, and Leadership

• Provide leadership, guidance, and operational direction to Race Directors, Volunteer Directors, activation teams, and operational staff supporting World Championship events.
• Schedule and lead regular operational check-ins, milestone calls, and race-readiness meetings (e.g.,120/90/60/30-day calls).
• Support operational strategy development, efficiencies, and continuous improvement initiatives across the World Championship portfolio.
• Act as an ambassador of IRONMAN, resolving operational issues and addressing athlete, volunteer, and stakeholder concerns professionally and effectively.

Budget and Financial Accountability

• Support the development, management, and execution of World Championship event budgets in partnership with the Regional Director, Race Director, VP Operations and Finance Business Partners.
• Maintain cost discipline across all operational areas, including Volunteer and Race Directors, ensuring expenses align with approved budgets and financial targets.
• Ensure timely submission, coding, and approval of invoices and check requests in accordance with company protocols.
• Contribute to post-event reporting, reconciliation, and financial reviews.

Activation, Logistics, and Asset Management

• Assist with operational aspects of event and partner activations, ensuring alignment with global partnership objectives and World Championship standards.
• In partnership with the VP, Operations and Regional Director, determine crew needs, recruit and schedule contractors and local support. Develop operational timelines, crew schedules and manuals covering pre-event, race week, and post-event      operations.
• Ensure all event assets meet appearance, safety, and quality standards.
• Involvement in logistics for movement of assets between regions, warehouses, and event sites.

Venue, Course, and Stakeholder Coordination

• Collaborate with Race Directors and city, state, and local agencies to secure permits, approvals, and operational agreements.
• Attend and represent IRONMAN at  operational planning meetings with municipalities, venue management, and public safety partners.
• Support development of course layouts, maps, traffic control plans, bike and run intersection plans, and venue flow designs.
• Coordinate course marking, measurement, and race week readiness in collaboration with Course Directors and officials.

Volunteers, Officials, and Support Functions

• Partner with Volunteer Directors to ensure appropriate volunteer recruitment, coverage, training, and execution.
• Coordinate with medical, communications, officiating, and safety teams to ensure all functional plans are approved and executed.
• Support side events (e.g., Kids Events, Fun Runs, Swims) operationally, including activations and staffing.

Warehouse, Supplies, and Signage

• Support oversight of World Championship warehouses and supplies in partnership with the VP Operations and Director of Logistics.
• Assist Activation/Operations Manager with signage planning, ordering, storage, and deployment.
• Ensure warehouse safety, security, staffing, and operational protocols are followed.

People Management & Culture

• Foster a positive, collaborative, and high performance culture within the team.
• Model IRONMAN’s BE ICONIC vision and promote inclusive behaviors that support teamwork, respect, and psychological safety onsite and offsite.
• Provides direct and indirect leadership to Race Directors, activation crews, contractors, and operational staff supporting      World Championship events.
• Leads by influence and collaboration across regional and global functional teams, including Operations, Partnerships, Marketing, Finance, Merchandise, and Communications.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.)      preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of large-scale event operations experience required; endurance or mass-participation events strongly preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong operational leadership and project management skills with the ability to manage complex, multi-venue events.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, logistics, vendors, and large teams of staff and volunteers.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities, and adapt to changing conditions.
• High level of professionalism, accountability, and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook, and event planning tools.
• Willingness to travel extensively and work non-traditional hours, including weekends and holidays.

Core Competencies

• Operational Excellence & Safety
• Budget Management & Cost Control
• Leadership & Team Development
• Strategic Thinking & Continuous Improvement
• Stakeholder & Community Relations
• Logistics, Activation & Asset Management
• Communication & Collaboration

The above declarations are not intended to be an “all inclusive” list of duties and responsibilities of the job described, nor are they intended to be such a listing of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Rather, they are intended only to describe the general nature of the job and are a reasonable representation of its activities.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.